Transcript of "Mobile Trends and Services for Libraries"

2.
Why should libraries care
about mobile devices?
• 4.1 billion SMS messages being sent daily
• Over 276 million wireless users (source: CITA
Wireless Industry Survey, 2009).
• 32% of Americans have used a cell phone or
Smartphone to access the internet this year
(source: Pew, April 2009).
• The mobile device will be the primary
connection tool to the internet for most
people by 2020. (Source: Pew, Dec. 2008).

3.
Why should libraries care
about mobile devices?
• 2009 NMC/Educause Horizon Report named
mobile devices one of the major trends in
education with an adoption horizon of one year
or less.
• More than half of undergraduates own an
internet-capable mobile device (source: ECAR
Study of Undergraduate Students and IT, 2009)
• 94% of students send & receive text messages
(source: Ball State University, 2009).

6.
Mobile social software
• Three types
– Social software that can be used on mobile
devices
– Social software designed primarily for mobile
devices
– Social software specifically designed for mobile
devices
• Most are location-aware

7.
Twitter
• Microblogging – sharing information in 140
characters or less
• People “follow” your Twitter feed and get
updates of your news and that of their other
friends chronologically
• Hugely popular
• Can use via web, cell phone, desktop apps, IM,
etc.

18.
QR Codes
• Very big in Japan, growing in use in Europe.
Not big in U.S. yet.
• In U.S. mainly see on products,
sometimes museums.
• Google is putting QR codes at
local businesses with link to the
business’ Google Place page.

26.
First, assess
• What mobile technologies do your patrons
use?
• How many access the web via a mobile
device? Which one(s) are most prevalent?
• What library services would users actually
want to use via a mobile device?
• What library services can you make accessible
via a mobile device?
• Are other units on campus or municipalities
designing mobile apps or sites?

28.
Library Website
• Questions to ask:
– Do you create a separate mobile version of your
site or just serve up a different style sheet based
on the device?
– Do you design for the most commonly-used
smartphones or also design for mobile devices
with small screens?
– Do you use a detection algorithm to redirect
mobile users to the mobile site or make them go
to a separate URL?

33.
Library apps
• Users can install and easily access specific
library functions/info.
• For smartphones.
• Most libraries that have an app also have a
mobile-friendly website.
• Have to design for specific operating systems
– most designed for iPhone.

47.
SMS reference
• Not limited by location (point of need)
• Messages need to be short (150 characters or
less)
• Patrons may be charged for messages they
send and receive
• Only useful for brief transactions
• IM reference can also be done on most
smartphones (Mobile AIM, libraryh3lp, etc.)